‘Grandmother’s Christmas Story’ by Faith Wynne

Grandmother’s Christmas Story by Faith Wynne, 1913

The magic trick:

Putting the grandmother at the center of attention

This is a Christmas story clearly designed to appeal to the entire family. The older set is especially going to enjoy this one. The grandmother in the story is the center of attention, and what’s more, the children are thrilled to listen to her old tales. It’s the older generation’s dream scenario. And that’s quite a trick on Wynne’s part.

The selection:

Henrietta and Roland and Frank were spending the holidays at Grandmother’s, and among the many gifts for the children there was a book full of pictures for Henrietta, and her brown head was bent over it very earnestly for at least ten minutes. And she exclaimed, “Bringing in the Yule log. What does that mean, Grandmother?” And Grandmother replied, “It was an ancient English custom to have a log cut from the largest tree in the park on the last day of the Christmas holidays…”